When will major East Link road in Inverness be built?
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Construction of a long-awaited major road in Inverness viewed as being key to the development of the city still has no start date.
The planned East Link, which will connect the A9 and A96 between Inshes and Smithton, has an estimated price tag of up to £35 million.
The 3.2km single-carriageway route will pave the way for thousands of new homes on the east side of the city and should also help to ease traffic congestion as well as opening up active travel routes.
It is on the list of projects to be carried out under the £315 million Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal.
But although the deal is due to expire in 2027, Scottish Government officials are unable to give a timetable for the project – as well as the multi-million pound planned improvements of the A9/A82 Longman Roundabout.
One Highland councillor said the East Link project had gone "suspiciously quiet".
Inverness South councillor Duncan Macpherson says clarity and transparency needs to be provided by the Scottish Government or Transport Scotland.
"My fear is this project is going to be further delayed in the same way the dualling of the A96 has been paused," Cllr Macpherson said.
"It has gone suspiciously quiet so much so you wonder if it has been shelved.
"I think we need an explanation from the Transport Minister on this one – or has it been lost in the headlines of the A9."
In September 2019, political and business leaders broadly welcomed what was hailed as a major step towards the East Link becoming a reality after Transport Scotland revealed it would be seeking compulsory purchase orders for parcels of land and indicated the project would be subject to an environmental impact assessment.
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The project is also related to other planned major transport schemes including improvements to Inshes roundabout, a notorious traffic bottleneck, and surrounding roads which Highland Council officials say is the most congested section of the local road network in the Highlands.
They said the transport schemes together were crucial to the expansion of the city of Inverness.
The current estimate range for the scheme is £25 million to £35 million (excluding VAT) at 2015 prices.
Development work is also continuing on the Longman Junction Improvement scheme to ease traffic congestion at the notorious bottleneck connecting the A9 and A82 near the Kessock Bridge.
The preferred option for the project, which is set to cost between £85 million and £95 million, features a new flyover and enlarging the existing roundabout.
A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said development work was continuing on the projects but a timetable could only be set once they had been approved under statutory procedures.
"The Scottish Government continues to take forward plans for a single carriageway road connecting Inshes and Smithton and grade separation of the A9/A82 Longman Roundabout as part its commitment to the £315 million Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal," the spokeswoman said.
"We continue to progress the detailed development and assessment of the preferred option for the A9/A82 Longman Junction scheme along with continuing to progress the A9/A96 Inshes to Smithton scheme through the statutory process.
"Delivery of each scheme can then only commence once approved under the relevant statutory procedures and thereafter a timetable for further progress can be set."
Inverness South councillor Ken Gowans was not unduly worried that a start date had yet to be given and was confident it would be achieved in the next four years.
"It is happening," he said. "There is no doubt about that.
"At the end of the day, we have to wait for Transport Scotland to come back to us.
"There is an awful lot to do in terms of compulsory purchase orders, getting the right legalities and lot of consultation.
"These things take a long time."
He explained the East Link was important as it would unlock development land for 3000 to 4000 planned homes and new schools plus additional benefits such as sports facilities.
It would also lead to extra active travel routes.
"We are keen to see this go ahead," he said. "We have to wait on Transport Scotland doing their due diligence."
